Preface

Since the days of rock carvings, paper images and now pixels swiped, society has always valued communication and the knowledge generated via that interchange. But today it has become much more, today it is the currency that drives this new economy. Today your “likes”, “views”, “comments”, “reviews”, “shares”, “re-tweets”, “re-postings”, etc. are the touchstones to profitability and survival. User-generated content is now the main product. For the first time in recorded history the virtual has surpassed the physical in economic value. These companies “own” no analog they just have digital. All they “own” is the platform that their users have populated for them. And with this new economic model come many concerns and opportunities – such as:

How do “I” fit in?

How do I use my existing knowledge base to go forward?

What is the best route and plan of study?

What opportunities will there be in the next 5 to 10 years?

What has happened historically?

As Jef Raskin said, years ago, “The interface is the product” and now more than ever the role of the designer – specifically the Interaction Designer – comes to the forefront. We are now in strange waters. The goal of this book is to successfully navigate these new and dangerous waters.